Nominations open: Time2Volunteer Awards 2023!

23 May 2023

We are proud to announce that HEY Smile Foundation and partners will once again be hosting an awards ceremony and celebration to honour volunteers from around the region.

Nominations for the Time2Volunteer Volunteer Awards 2023 are open from June 1 and we can’t wait to read your entries.

There will be a total of 12 award categories open to nominations giving people the chance to nominate, young and old volunteers and so much in-between!

How to nominate is explained at the end of this article.

We have added new categories, including the Inclusive Volunteer Award, which recognises people who empower people from diverse communities, and the Founding Volunteer Award, which celebrates people who had the bravery to make an idea happen and start a group or charity.

The event, which is in its fifth year, will be held at the DoubleTree, by Hilton Hull, on Thursday 5 October, 1pm - 4:30pm.

It is held in partnership with Nisa Retail’s charity Making a Difference Locally (MADL), East Riding of Yorkshire Council, and Hull CVS.

Time2Volunteer is a partnership and website that links volunteers with opportunities to work with charities and groups. It is delivered by Hull CVS, HEY Smile Foundation, Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Smile’s CEO Jamie Lewis said: “The amazing thing about Time2Volunteer is it creates a platform that not only recognises excellence but also encourages positive change within our local community.

By incorporating fresh categories, we are embracing the ever-evolving landscape of volunteering and its social impact. We want to celebrate those who have gone above and beyond, using their influence and their time to make a real difference.

We are excited to see nominations come through and read the amazing stories from across the county.

Jamie Lewis, CEO at Smile

Tessa Wray, Smile’s Head of Partnerships and Development, added: “The Time2Volunteer Awards have become an exciting date in our diaries, one of the nicest parts of the preparations for the awards is when nominations begin to come in.

We read many stories of achievement, of lives that have been changed, and of how communities are shaped. To us, the focus of the event is a celebration of everyone who volunteers not just the award winners.

We are grateful to Smile’s friends in the community who support the event, by sponsoring categories and the event itself. Please take the time to nominate someone who you know that is making a difference or just join us at the celebrations.”

The awards recognise the work of volunteers in places across Hull, the East Riding, and North and North East Lincolnshire.

The Volunteer Awards 2022 saw 120 nominations received, with 54 people being shortlisted.

All shortlisted entrants are given two complimentary tickets to the ceremony, which includes a sparkling afternoon tea and entertainment.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, please email events@heysmilefoundation.org or call 01482 590270.